wetland shrub
Mountain Azalea
Rhododendron canescens
Also known as Wild Azalea, Honeysuckle Azalea, Piedmont Azalea, Sweet Azalea, Hoary Azalea, Southern Pinxterflower
1 of 3Native to the Southeast
Coastal Plain and Piedmont from North Carolina to Florida and Texas
- Light Partial shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones 7–9 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–May Flowering time
- Height
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A wetland shrub for partial shade and lean, dry soil. Hardy in USDA zones 7–9.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Butterflies Monarch
also Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Silver-spotted Skipper, Palamedes Swallowtail +1 more
Asbolis capucinus
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Eastern tiger swallowtailnectar
- Monarch butterflynectar
- Palamedes swallowtailnectar
- Silver-spotted skippernectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WetlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- The SoutheastUnited States (11): AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Coastal Plain and Piedmont from North Carolina to Florida and TexasThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained soil. . Acid-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium LoamThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil pH
- 4.3–5.8The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- SlowA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 14+ in (36+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–MayWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- White, PinkThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~5 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- LowHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.